JP2011022720A - Rfid function tag, stock management system and stock management method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) function tag which needs no power supply, displays a sufficient amount of information, and displays a barcode such so as to be read by a barcode reader. <P>SOLUTION: The RFID function tag 10 includes: a display 30 configured by electronic paper; an RFID antenna 21 receiving content of display from an external RFID tag handling device 40, and simultaneously receiving power from the RFID tag handling device by induced power generation; and an RFID module 22 displaying at least one of a one-dimensional barcode 32 and a two-dimensional barcode 33 on the display based on the content of display received from the RFID antenna. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an inventory management system using an RFID tag, and more particularly to an inventory management system using an RFID tag having a display for displaying stored contents.

  RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) has been researched mainly as a product identification and management technology that replaces barcodes in the distribution industry. It has come to be.

  However, the content stored in the RFID tag cannot be recognized by humans. Therefore, an RFID function tag with a display function (hereinafter simply referred to as an RFID function tag) in which a low power consumption display such as a small liquid crystal panel, an organic EL panel, or an LED panel is combined with the RFID tag has been devised.

  Such an RFID function tag has an application example such as a price tag display system capable of displaying information such as a product name and weight in association with a price. This system does not use a paper price tag, and it is not necessary to manually attach a rewritten price tag to a display shelf or a product. Therefore, the system is expected to be effective in reducing labor for product management and preventing mistakes. In addition, the application of such an inventory management system is expected in a logistics management system, a kanban system, a traceability system for foods, and the like.

  For example, the following documents are disclosed as techniques combining an RFID tag and a display function. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an RFID tag that includes a display unit using electronic paper and displays a barcode. Patent Document 3 discloses an RFID tag that includes a display unit using electronic paper and receives power from an antenna.

JP 2004-127279 A JP 2006-340863 A JP 2007-111137 A

  A conventional RFID function tag uses a display such as a liquid crystal panel (with a reflection type and a back panel), an organic EL panel, or an LED panel. However, functional tags having these displays have the following problems.

  First, power supply means is necessary for the operation of these displays. The RFID tag can receive electric power necessary for its own operation from the RFID tag handling device in a non-contact manner. However, since the amount of electric power received in a non-contact manner is small, it is insufficient for operating the display as described above.

  When the power supply means is a battery, replacement or charging is required when the battery is exhausted. Further, when power is supplied from the outside using an AC adapter or the like, connection for that purpose is necessary. This makes it impossible to take advantage of the advantage of an RFID tag that is small and can be easily arranged in large numbers.

  Moreover, it is difficult to increase the display area of the display due to the problem of power consumption. Therefore, the display area is insufficient to display a lot of information stored in the RFID tag so that it can be easily read by human eyes.

  Furthermore, in the Japanese distribution industry in particular, since an advanced inventory management system using bar codes has been established, it is difficult to shift to an inventory management system using RFID all at once. For this reason, information such as items stored in the RFID function tag can be read by a conventional barcode reader or camera by displaying a barcode on the display, and the barcode and the RFID are stored in the inventory management system. It is desirable to be able to mix. Note that the bar code here includes both a one-dimensional bar code and a two-dimensional bar code unless otherwise specified.

  However, in the conventional RFID function tag, it is difficult to display a barcode that can be read by a conventional barcode reader because of the structure of a display that uses a polarizing plate and displays a screen at a specific refresh cycle. In particular, a barcode displayed on a reflective liquid crystal panel using a polarizing panel is difficult to image with a camera or the like. Further, since the beam scanning type one-dimensional barcode reader uses a polarized beam, it cannot be expected to stably read the barcode displayed on the display.

  Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an RFID tag that includes a display unit using electronic paper and displays a barcode. Patent Document 3 discloses an RFID tag that includes a display unit using electronic paper and receives power from an antenna. However, Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not mention power supply, and Patent Document 3 does not mention bar code display.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an RFID function tag, an inventory management system, and an RFID tag capable of displaying a barcode so that a power can be supplied without contact, a sufficient amount of information can be displayed, and a barcode reader can read the barcode. It is to provide an inventory management method.

  In order to achieve the above object, an RFID function tag according to the present invention receives display content from a display configured by electronic paper and an external RFID tag handling device, and simultaneously induces power from the RFID tag handling device by inductive electromotive force. It is characterized by having an RFID antenna to be received and an RFID module for displaying at least one of a one-dimensional barcode and a two-dimensional barcode on a display based on display contents received from the RFID antenna.

  In order to achieve the above object, an inventory management system according to the present invention includes an RFID function tag having a display configured by electronic paper capable of displaying at least one of a one-dimensional barcode and a two-dimensional barcode, and a display. A barcode reading means capable of reading a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode displayed on the computer, a host computer for generating display contents based on the barcode read from the barcode reading means, and a host computer An RFID tag handling device is provided that stores the generated display content and transmits it to the RFID function tag, and simultaneously supplies power necessary for the operation of the RFID function tag by induction electromotive force.

  In order to achieve the above object, an inventory management method according to the present invention is a method of managing inventory in an inventory management system having an RFID function tag having a display made of electronic paper and a host computer, and the primary management is performed on the display. A barcode display process for displaying at least one of an original barcode and a two-dimensional barcode, a barcode reading process for reading a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode displayed on the display, and a barcode read Barcode data transmission step for transmitting the received data to the host computer, a display content generation step for generating the display content of the display based on the data received by the host computer in the barcode data transmission step, and the generated display content for the RFID Send to feature tag And FID transmitting step, and having a power supply step of supplying the induced electromotive power necessary for the operation of simultaneously RFID function tag and RFID transmitting step.

  In the present invention, since the display of the RFID function tag is configured by electronic paper as described above, the barcode can be displayed on the display so that the barcode reader can read the image, and the power consumption is extremely small. This is an excellent RFID function tag and inventory that can receive power without contact, can display a sufficient amount of information, and can display a barcode so that it can be read by a barcode reader. A management system and an inventory management method can be provided.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the RFID function tag which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the example of the display content of the display shown in FIG. 1, and the structure of the price tag display system containing an RFID function tag. It is a flowchart showing the process which a RFID function tag performs when updating the display content of the RFID function tag shown in FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing performed by a host computer when the one-dimensional barcode or the two-dimensional barcode shown in FIG. 2 is read. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the RFID function tag which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of an RFID function tag 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The RFID function tag 10 includes a passive RFID tag 20 and a display 30.

  The passive RFID tag 20 includes an RFID antenna 21 and an RFID module 22. The RFID module 22 is an integrated RFID module that incorporates an RF, a memory, a CPU, a rectifier, a capacitor, and the like. The RFID antenna 21 receives signals such as operation commands and stored data from an external RFID tag handling device (not shown) in a contactless manner, and further receives electric power necessary for the operation of the RFID function tag 10 by induction electromotive force. Can do.

  The contents stored in the RFID module 22 are not all rewritable by the RFID tag handling device 40. For example, there is information that cannot be rewritten by an RFID tag handling device described later, such as an ID for identifying the RFID function tag 10 itself, an ID for identifying a product, or an initial quantity of the product. In that case, such information can be stored in the RFID module 22 provided with a protected storage area 24 protected by a password or the like.

  The display 30 is a display unit to which electronic paper composed of electronic ink is applied. The electronic paper consumes very little power when updating the display content, and otherwise, the display content can be held for a long time without consuming any power. Therefore, the RFID function tag 10 can sufficiently operate with the power received by the passive RFID tag 20 by the RFID antenna 21.

  In addition, electronic paper can easily increase the display area while maintaining low power consumption. Therefore, it is easy to increase the display area of the display 30 and display a large amount of information so that it can be easily read by human eyes.

  Furthermore, the electronic paper does not use a polarizing panel (or a polarizing film, a polarizing film, etc.), and there is no display refresh. Therefore, it is possible to stably read the content of the barcode displayed on the display 30 by a conventional camera (not shown) and a barcode reader (not shown).

  FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of display contents of the display 30 shown in FIG. 1 and the configuration of the price tag display system 1 including the RFID function tag 10. When the RFID function tag 10 is used as a price tag for a product in the price tag display system 1, the display 30 displays text information such as the product name, ID number 34, price, and inventory in characters that can be easily read by human eyes. 31, a one-dimensional barcode 32, and a two-dimensional barcode 33 are displayed.

  The one-dimensional barcode 32 includes an ID number 34, and the ID number 34 can be easily read by the beam scan type one-dimensional barcode reader 50. The two-dimensional barcode 33 includes an ID number 34 and associated data (for example, product name, initial quantity, current quantity, etc.) encoded and included, and a two-dimensional barcode reading means 60 incorporating a camera or the like. Therefore, those data can be easily read.

  The information read by the one-dimensional barcode reader 50 and the two-dimensional barcode reading means 60 is reported to the host computer 70. The ID number 34 is information that cannot be rewritten by the RFID tag handling apparatus 40.

  The host computer 70 is attached with a database 71 that stores each ID number 34 and various information about the product represented by the ID number 34. The host computer 70 is connected to a one-dimensional barcode reader 50, a two-dimensional barcode reading means 60, and an RFID tag handling device 40.

  The RFID tag handling device 40 is brought close to the RFID function tag 10 from the outside. Thus, the RFID function tag 10 receives information to be displayed on the display 30 through the RFID antenna 21 and receives power necessary for the operation of the RFID function tag 10 by induction electromotive force. The RFID module 22 updates the display content of the display 30 based on the content received from the RFID tag handling device 40. When the display contents can be updated normally, the RFID function tag 10 sends a signal indicating that “update has been completed normally” to the RFID tag handling apparatus 40.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the RFID function tag 10 when the display content of the RFID function tag 10 shown in FIG. 1 is updated. When the operation starts and the RFID module 22 recognizes the approach with the RFID tag handling device 40 (step S101), the RFID function tag 10 and the RFID tag handling device 40 first perform mutual authentication (step S102). If the approach is not recognized in step S101 and if the authentication is not normal in step S102, neither proceeds to the next step. In addition, since a well-known technique is applicable to mutual authentication here, it does not explain in detail.

  If the authentication is successful in step S102, the RFID tag handling device 40 transmits information about the display content update, and the RFID function tag 10 receives it (step S103) and updates the display content on the display 30 (step S103). Step S104). If the display content can be updated normally, the RFID function tag 10 transmits a message indicating that the normal update has been completed to the RFID tag handling apparatus 40 (step S105), and the processing on the RFID function tag 10 side is terminated. If the display content is not updated normally, the process returns to step S103, and the RFID tag handling apparatus 40 retransmits the information.

  During the information exchange in steps S101 to S105, the RFID antenna 21 receives power necessary for the operation of the RFID function tag 10 from the RFID tag handling device 40 by induction electromotive force.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the host computer 70 when the one-dimensional barcode 32 or the two-dimensional barcode 33 shown in FIG. 2 is read. When the operation is started and a report about the read barcode is received from the one-dimensional barcode reader 50 or the two-dimensional barcode reading means 60 (step S201), the received ID number 34 and the database 71 The stored contents are collated, and it is determined whether or not there is a product corresponding to the ID number 34 in the database 71 (step S202). If no corresponding product exists in step S202, the process does not proceed to the next step.

  If there is a corresponding product in step S202, the database 71 is updated based on the reported content (step S203), the content to be updated on the display 30 of the RFID function tag 10 is generated, and the RFID tag handling device 40 (step S204) and the process ends. The display content stored in the RFID tag handling device 40 is transmitted to the RFID function tag 10 in step S103 in FIG.

  This realizes an RFID function tag with a display function that can receive power supply in a non-contact manner, can display a sufficient amount of information, and can display a barcode so that it can be read by a barcode reader. Furthermore, since the displayed barcode can be read by a conventional barcode reader, an RFID inventory management system that can be easily transferred from a conventional barcode-based inventory management system can be constructed.

  FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the RFID function tag 10b according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The RFID function tag 10b includes an active RFID tag 20b and a display 30. The active RFID tag 20 b includes an RFID antenna 21, an RFID module 22, and a battery 23. The battery 23 is a power supply means such as a film battery or a large capacity capacitor.

  The RFID antenna 21 and the RFID module 22 are the same as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG. However, the RFID module 22 and the display 30 operate by receiving power supply from a battery 23 provided separately from them. The battery 23 is charged from the RFID tag handling device through the RFID antenna 21. Therefore, it is the same as in the first embodiment that power can be supplied without contact.

  Except for the above points, the RFID function tag 10b is the same as the RFID function tag 10 according to the first embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Although the present invention has been described with the specific embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and is known so far as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. It goes without saying that any configuration can be adopted.

  In addition to the price tag display system, the present invention can be used in an inventory management system such as a logistics management system, a kanban system, a traceability system for food, and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Price tag display system 10, 10b RFID function tag 20 Passive RFID tag 20b Active RFID tag 21 RFID antenna 22 RFID module 23 Battery 24 Protection storage area 30 Display 31 Text information 32 One-dimensional barcode 33 Two-dimensional barcode 34 ID number 40 RFID Tag handling equipment 50 One-dimensional barcode reader (barcode reading means)
60 Two-dimensional bar code reading means (bar code reading means)
70 Host computer 71 Database

Claims (8)

A display composed of electronic paper,
An RFID antenna that receives display content from an external RFID tag handling device and simultaneously receives power from the RFID tag handling device by induction electromotive force; and
An RFID function tag comprising: an RFID module for displaying at least one of a one-dimensional barcode and a two-dimensional barcode on the display based on display contents received from the RFID antenna.   The RFID module displays text information based on display contents received from the RFID antenna and at least one of the one-dimensional barcode and two-dimensional barcode on the display at the same time. Item 2. The RFID function tag according to Item 1.   The RFID function tag according to claim 1, wherein the RFID module has a protected storage area that cannot be rewritten by the RFID tag handling apparatus. An RFID function tag having a display made of electronic paper capable of displaying at least one of a one-dimensional barcode and a two-dimensional barcode;
Barcode reading means capable of reading a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode displayed on the display;
A host computer that generates display content of the display based on the barcode read from the barcode reading means;
An RFID tag handling device that stores the display content generated by the host computer and transmits the stored content to the RFID function tag, and simultaneously supplies power necessary for the operation of the RFID function tag by inductive electromotive force. Inventory management system.   The RFID function tag causes the display to simultaneously display text information based on display content received from the RFID tag handling device and at least one of the one-dimensional barcode and two-dimensional barcode on the display. The inventory management system according to claim 4.   The inventory management according to claim 5, wherein the RFID tag handling device transmits the display content to the RFID function tag after the RFID tag handling device and the RFID function tag perform mutual authentication. system.   The inventory management system according to claim 4, wherein the RFID function tag has a protected storage area that cannot be rewritten by the RFID tag handling device. A method of managing inventory with an inventory management system having an RFID function tag having a display configured by electronic paper and a host computer,
A barcode display step for displaying at least one of a one-dimensional barcode and a two-dimensional barcode on the display;
A barcode reading step for reading a one-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode displayed on the display;
A barcode data transmission step of transmitting data read from the barcode to the host computer;
A display content generation step of generating display content of the display based on the data received by the host computer in the barcode data transmission step;
RFID transmission step of transmitting the generated display content to the RFID function tag;
And a power supply step of supplying electric power necessary for the operation of the RFID function tag by induction electromotive force simultaneously with the RFID transmission step.

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